Method and apparatus for mixing concrete.



Y 'I'. B. GIESLER. v METHOD AND APPARATUS TOR MIXING CONCRETE.

y APPLICATION FILED AUG. 11I 1913. 1,096, 1 O3. Patented May 12, 1914.

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P. B. GIESLER.

METHOD AND APPARATUS EOE MIXING CONCRETE.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG.11, 1913.

Patented May 12, 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

/ 7 @MOE/W F. B. GIESLER.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOB MIXING CONCRETE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.11, 1913.

1,096, 1 O3. Patented May 12, 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

P. B. GIESLER. METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MIXING GONGRETE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.11, 1913.

A Patented May 12,1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEBT 4.

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P. B. GIESLER. METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MIXING CONCRETE.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG.11, 1913.

Patented' May 12, 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

E. B. GIESLER.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MIXING CONCRETE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.11, 1913. 1,096,1 O3. Patented May 12, 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

@www N @yg/H FRANKLIN B. GIESLER,

OF MILW`AUKEE, WISCONSIN.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MIXING CONCRETE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led August 11, 1913.

Patented May 12, 1914.

Serial No. 784,128.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN B. Gins- Lnn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lVisconsin, have invented Vcertain new and useful Improvements in Methods and Apparatus for Mixing Concrete; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, economical and eective method and apparatus for mixing the ingredients of concrete.

The construction and arrangement of the apparatus is such that initial measured batches of gravel, sand and cement are thoroughly mixed in a dry state by first passing the same through a -series of elevators and gravity chutes containing riiie plates, whereby the Vcomposite material is successively separated into small batches which are agitated and united in their travel to a final discharge chute, which chute delivers said thoroughly dry mixed material into a revoluble mixing drum containing spirally arranged bathe-plates for final treatment,

water being added to the material at the de livery end of the drum. The moist material is caused to travel slowly throughout the length of the drum due to the action of the bafiie-plates and is thus thoroughly mixed in a moist state and finished prior to being discharged from the end of the drum in a continuous flow if desired, the material being thus mixed to an even grade. By the above described combination of mechanical elements the mixing method of the materials thus overcomes the tendency of the heavy and light elements to separate in their travel and thereby render the finished product uneven in its consistency.

lVith the above objects in view the invention consists in the method of mixing here inafter described, together with certain combinations of structural elements as set fort-h and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents a longitudinal sectional elevation of a concrete mixing apparatus embodying the features of my invention, the section being indicated by lines 1 1 of Figs. 2 and e; Fig. 2,v a plan view of the same with a portion in section as indicated by line 2- 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a transverse sectional elevation of the apparatus, the section being indicated by lines 3 3 of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4, another detailed cross-section of the drum portion of the mixing apparatus, the section being indicated by line 4 4 of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 5, a detailed rear end elevation of the drum illustrating a gate mechanism for controlling the discharge; Fig. 6, a detailed side elevation of said drum end with a portion broken away and in section, the section being indicated by line 6 6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7, a detailed sectional elevation of a side delivery chute, the section being indicated by line 7 7 of Fig. 3; Fi 8, a detailed sectional elevat-ion of an ob iquely disposed transverse chute section, the section being indicated by line 8 8 of Fig. 1; Fig. 9, a detailed cross-section of the side delivery chute, the section being indicated by line 9 9 of Fig. 7, the said section illustrating a driven winged ro-tor within the chute for positively mixing the concrete ingredients at this point; Fig. 10, a detailed sectional face view of a receiving hopper controlling gate mechanism, the section being indicated by line 10 10 of Fig. 11; Fig. 11, a longitudinal sectional view of said hopper gate mechanism, the sect-ion being indicated by line 11 11 of Fig. 10; Fig. 12, a cross-section of the hopper gate, the section being indicated by line 12 12 of Fig. 10; Fig. 13, a detailed sectional face view of an auxiliary hopper gate mechanism; Fig. 14, a detailed cross-section of the same, the section being indicated by line 1& 14 of Fig. 13; Fig. 15, a detailed face view of a hopper gate pawl and ratchet locking mechanism; Fig. 1G, a diagrammatic plan illustrating the arrangement of spiral baffle-plates with which the rotatory drum is provided, whereby the material is finally `mixed and progressively fed forward to the discharge end of said drum, and Fig. 17, a detailed view of the head portion ofa delivery elevator with parts broken away and in section to more clearly show certain structural features.

Referring by characters to the drawings, 1, 1, represent uprights of a frame connected by transverse sills 2, 2, the uprights being supported by ground sills 3. The transverse sills Q, 2, are provided with boxes into which is ournaled a longitudinally disposed drum-controlling shaft 4, which shaft carries a pair of sprocket wheels for the rcception of a pair of endless belts 5 of the sprocket-chain type. the belts 5 encircle flanged rings G, which Depending loops of als rings are secured about an open ended mixl ing drum 7. As sho-wn in Figs. 1 and 5, and especially the diagram Fig. 1G, the internal walls of the drum have secured thereto a. series ot' spirally arranged inclined battleplates 8, the same being so positioned progressively as to shedl material from the lower end of one plate upon the upper end of the succeeding plate and so on throughout the series, whereby the material will be given a series ot' positive impulses or gyrations coincident to each revolution of the drum and the batches of the material so broken are finally forced through the discharge end of the drum in a thoroughly mixed condition. The drum so suspended from the belts 5 is revolved by means of a belt gear connection from the drum-shaft et to a motor A, which motor, together with a suitable back gear, is mounted upon a platform 9 that is suitably supported by the uprights of the trames, to one side of said drum, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4L of the drawings.

n place of permitting a continuous flow of the mixed concrete from the discharge end of the drum, it is desirable, in some instances, to check said flow for convenience in transporting the concrete from the drum to the point of work and with this in view I provide al transversely arranged gate 10, which gate is adapted to be normally held across the lower portion of the discharge end of the drum, as best shown in Figs. 'l and 5, the gate being ot' any desired height in order to check the How of material. This gate is secured by projecting ears to a transversely disposed rod 10', which rod is mounted in boxes 11 that are supported by posts 11 projecting upwardly from the ground-sill 8. Connected to the projecting ears` of the gate 10 and adjacent boxes 11 are the ends of coiled springs 12, which coiled springs` surround the rod and exert pressure, whereby the gate is normally held in abutment with the adjacent end edge of the open drum, the rod being provided with a suitable lever 12', whereby the gate may be swung downwardly to a discharging position at the will of the operator and, when so swung, it is appa-rent that said gate will form a chute for the delivery of the concrete to a portable container or other receiving means. The receiving end of the drum is provided with an inwardly extended flange 13, whereby the material is retained when discharged into this end, the said material being delivered to the receiving end or" the drum by means of a funnel 14, which funnelis supported upon a platform or frame 15 that rises from the ground sill 3, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. rlhis platform or frame also forms the support for a, receiving and a delivering elevator B and C respectively, the said .elevators being of standard type. The receiving elevator B is provided with a standard delivery leg- 1G,

and a return leg 1(3, which legs rise from a boot 17 and communicate with a. head 18. The. delivery elevator is provided with a similar delivery leg 19 and a` return leg 19, the said legs communicating with a bottom boot 17 and a head 18. Extending through the heads 18 and 1S of the elevators is a drive-shaft Q0, which drive-shaft is mounted in boxes that are carried by the frame timbers l5. Mounted upon the drive-shaft within the head 18 is a sprocket-wheel 2l, there being a corresponding sprocket-wheel 21 secured to said shaft and mounted within the conveyer-head 1S. Both the receiving and delivery boots have mounted therein sprocket-wheels 22, wheels are carried upon stud-shafts 22, the same being ournaled in adjustable boxes 23, which boxes are supported by threaded spindles 23', that are carried by brackets projecting from the juxtaposed walls of the boots. 'lhe boot sprocket-wheel 22 and its companion-wheel Q1 of the receiving elevator serve as supports for a bucket-carryingl co-nveyer belt 24- and the corresponding set of sprocket-wheels QQ, 21, oi the delivery elevator have mounted thereon a similar endless bucket-carrying belt 9.4L', as best shown in Fig. 17. The head 18 otl the receivingelevator B is provided with a. discharge mouth, which mouth communicates with an obliquely disposed transverse chute section 25, which section communicates with a side delivery chute section 25, as best shown in Fig. 1. The said delivery chute is arranged to discharge material into an auxiliary hopper 26, which hopper communicates with the boot 17 of the delivery elevator C. The boot 17 of the receiving elevator B is provided wit-h a similar receivingl hopper 27, into which hopper the sand, cement and crushed stone are initially dumped preparatory' to a mixing operation.

ln order to eltect a more perfect mixing operation ot the cement ingredients while the salue is traveling by gravity down through the obliquely disposed transverse chute the said chute, as best shown in Fig. S, is provided with a series oit angularly disposed riille-plates 28, which ril'licplates are so arrai'iged that the materia] is retarded in its flow and momentarily pocketed in small batches, thus breaking up the continuous flow in a series ot' units and re-uniting the same as said material travels to *ard the auxiliary hopper 26. rlhe direction otl the material is then changed as it enters the side delivery chute 25, which delivery chute is also provided with a series of angularly disposed riiile-plates 29 that operate upon said material in the same manner as that described in connection with the transverse chute ln addition to the series of ritlie-plates 29, the side delivery chute which sprocket-V is also provided with a rotor, which rotor is mounted upon a drive-shaft 30 and carries a series of radially disposed wings 31 having circumferentially arranged toe extensions 31', which toe extensions in connection with the wings form pockets, the rotor being revolved in a direction corresponding to the direction of the toes, whereby the material is positively trapped at this point, elevated and discharged upon a succeeding little-plate. Thus it will be seen that the material, after being acted upon by one set of the ri'tlie-plates in the delivery chtite, is trapped and revolved by the rotor, whereby a positive mixing operation is effected and thereafter' the trapped or pocketed batches are delivered to the fina-l series of riffleplates upon which said material is gyrated back and forth and finally discharged into the auxiliary hopper in a thorough dry mixture of the several elements. The concrete material is then caught up by the buckets contained in the delivery elevator and is discharged through a mouth 18 with which the head of said delivery elevator is provided, this mouth being in communication with a zgravity discharge chute 32, the

mouth of which is alined over the mouth of the drum funnel 14, as best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

Motion is imparted to the bucket-carrying belts of the elevator shaft 20 through a counter-shaft 33, which counter-shaft is journaled in brackets 33 that are supported by one of the transverse sills 2 of the drumframe, the counter-shaft being in miter-gear connection with the drum-shaft t, as best shown in Fig. 2. The opposite end of the counter-shaft carries a sprocket-wheel 34 which is connected by a link belt to a corresponding sprocket-wheel 34', which sprocket-wheel is secured to one end of the elevator shaft 20. The opposite end of the elevator shaft 20 also carries a sprocketwheel which sprocket-wheel meshes with an idle sprocket-wheel 35 that is loosely mounted upon a stud 35 that projects from one wall o-f the side delivery chute 25. The hub of the idle sprocketwheel. 35 carries a toothed gear-wheel 36, which gear-wheel meshes with a second gear-wheel 36/ that is secured to the rotor shaft 30, the sprocket-wheels 35 being in link-belt connection, whereby motion is imparted to said rotor.

ln practice the sand, crushed stone and cement, constituting the concrete elements, are deposited in the receiving hopper 27, in layers, and hence, due to the fact that they are not mixed in said receiving hopper, it is desirable to provide means whereby the several ingredients will be approximately discharged in equal parts into the belt-carried conveyer buckets 24 to thus insure uniformity in the mixture thereafter. lith this object in view, as best shown in Figs.

10 and 11, the front wall of the receiving elevator leg 16 is provided with an elongated aperture 37 which extends from the inclined bottom of the hopper 27 to a point intermediate of its height, whereby, under certain conditions, the material contained in said hopper will all be discharged into the boot 17 of theJ receiving conveyer. The leg aperture 37 is partly controlled by a shutter 38, which shutter is provided with a port 3S intermediate of its length, the said shutter being slidable in guide-rails 39, which guide-rails are secured to the juxtaposed walls of the legl 16. Fitted against the outer face of the shutter and in sliding engagement with the ways 39, is a gate-plate'llO, which gate-plate is provided with a web 40 that projects from its inner face and is adapted to have sliding fit within the shutter port 38. The gate has secured thereto a toothedstem 41, which stem is raised or lowered by a pinion r-l-l that meshes with its toothed section, the pinion being secured to a crank-shaft 4t2 that is mounted in boxes secured to the juxtaposed walls ofk the leg 16 abo-ve the hopper. One end of the crank-shaft -12 has secured thereto a. ratchetwheel 43 for engagement with a locking dog 43', whereby lthe crank-shaft may be locked at any desired elevation in order to hold the valve mechanism comprising the gate and shutter at predetermined position.

Then the flow from the receiving hopper 27 to the boot 17 is desired torbe cutoff the gate plate 40 is manipulated by the crankshaft and gear connections, whereby said gate-plate is caused to travel downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 10 to a position where the lower face of its web 40 will abut the lower edge of the shutter port 38, thus said shut-ter po-rt will be entirely closed. After the layers of cement ingredients have been deposited in the receiving hopper, the operator manipulates the crankshaft 42, whereby the gate-plate will rise to the position shown in Fig. 10, and thus expose the shutter port 3S', the lower edge of which is at a predetermined distance fro-m the bottom o-f the hopper. Thus a strata of the material will be discharged, which strata is taken from an intermediate point of the depth of the material and thereafter a continued upward movement of the gate-plate will cause the shutter to also lift due to the fact that the upper edge of the gate-web il0 engages the upper edge of the shutter port 38. VHence the gate and shutter will now move together to effect a full expo-sure of the aperture 37 whereby the entire mass of material may be discharged. Thus it will be seen that in controlling the aperture 37 between the leg and boot a horizontal strata is removed from the material initially, whereby a more uniform discharge of the several ingredients can he effected. The auxiliary hopper' which receives the cement material after it has been thoroughly mixed, is provided with a vertically disposed parallelogram shaped discharge port 44` which port is formed in the front wall of the leg 19, whereby the material is delivered to the bucket-carrying belt 24. One of the acute angles of this port terminates adjacent to the bottom of the hopper and the opposite acute angle is at a point farthest from said hopper, the said port heilig controlled by a gate-plate 45, which gate-plate is guided in ways 45. The gate-plate 45 is provided with a stem 46 which is toothed and operated by a pinion 4G that meshes with its toothed portion, the said pinion being secured to a crank-shaft 47 that is mounted in the boxes extending from the front wall of the elevator leg 19. This crank-shaft is also provided with a locking mechanism comprising a ratchet-wheel 47 which operates in conjunction with a dog 47 whereby the gate may be held in any predetermined selected open position. By the configuration of the port 44 it is apparent that. when the gate-plate controlling said port is lifted initially a thin strata of the concrete material is discharged and as the gate rises to a point intermediate of its movement this discharged strata increases in width and thereafter gradually contracts to a point where the gate is fully open. Hence movement of the material in the auxiliary7 hopper from all points is insured and said material is discharged in a. comparatively thin vcrtical sheet, the said gate being permanently set to deliver a predetermined constant flow of material to the mixing drum, while the receiving hopper gate mechanism is opened and closed to discharge each batch of material which is intermittently7 loaded into its hopper, these batches being of suticient volume to permit a continuous liow of the thoroughly mixed material from the auxiliary hopper to its juxtaposed elevator.

Thile I have shown and described a rotor adapted to operate upon the material only in the side delivery chute section, it is obvious that I may employ a similar rotor for operating upon the material in the obliquely disposed delivery chute section without det parting from the spirit. of my invention. It, is also apparent that I may.y without departing from the spirit of my invention, employ a series of riile-plates in connection with the gravity discharge chute 3Q, whereby said material may receive a further agitation just. prior to being discharged into the drum.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that after each batch of material is loaded into the receiving hopper, the gate mechanism. is lifted, whereby said material is delivered to the endless bucket-carrying belt, which belt discharges the material into the gravity chutes where it is thoroughly mixed and delivered to the auxiliary chute, and from this chute a constant stream is delivered to the bucket-carrying belt 24', whereby said material is again elevated and finally discharged through the gravity discharge chute 32, funnel 14 and into the receiving end of the rota-tory drum, water being added to the dry mixture at the mouth of the funnel 14 by means of a valve-controlled water-supply pipe 48. Thereafter the moist material is thoroughly gyrated and mixed coincident to its travel throughout the length of the drum, which travel is effected by means of the spirally disposed baffle plates 8, the material being thereafter discharged either in a continuous liow or intermittently, depending upon the position of the gate 10, it being understood that, in some instances, said gate may be locked open by a weight in opposition to its coiled springs, or other means.

I claim:

l. A method of mixing concrete consisting of accumulating a dry mass of crushed stone, sand and cement in measured quantities,

moving the same in vertical stratas by gravq ity, elevating the stratas of material in unitary batches, causing the elevated unitary batches to travel downward by gravity to a lower plane and in their downward travel to be slightly retarded, separated and re-united into batch units by agitation whereby the several ingredients are thoroughly mixed, thereafter causing the mixed material to be collected and to be again elevated in unitary batches, discharging the batches of elevated material by gravity to a lower level, adding water thereto and again mixing the n1oistened material.

A method of mixing concrete consisting of accumulating a dry mass of crushed stone, sand and cement in measured quantities, elevating the material in unitary batches, causing the elevated unitary batches to travel downward by gravity to a lower elevation and in their travel to be slightly retarded` separated and re-united into batch units-by agitation to effect a thorough mixture of the several materials. thereafter causing the mixed material to be collected and to be again elevated in unitary batches, discharging the batches of elevated material. by gravity to a lower level, adding water thereto, and finally revolving the moistened material and causing it to travel spirally upon an approximately even plane coincident to being shifted back and forth during such spiral rotation to complete the mixture.

B. A cement mixing apparatus comprising a material receiving hopper, a receiving elevator in communication therewith having an upper discharge head, a delivery elevator disposed upon approximately the same plane as the receiving elevator and in parallel relation thereto, the last mentioned elevator being provided with an upper discharge head, an auxiliary hopper in communication with thc base of the delivery elevator, an obliquely disposed gravity chute in communr cation with the head of said receiving elevator and the auxiliary hopper of the delivery elevator, ritlie-plates mounted in the chute, and a mixing drum arranged to receive material from the gravity chute.

et. A cement mixing apparatus comprising a material receiving hopper, a receiving elevator in communication therewith having an upper discharge head, a delivery elevator disposed upon approximately the same plane as the receiving elevator and in parallel relation thereto, the last mentioned elevator being provided with an upper discharge head, an auxiliary hopper in communication with the base of the delivery elevator, an obliquely disposed gravity chute in communication with the head of said receiving elevator and the auxiliary hopper of the delivery elevator, agitating means carried by the gravity chute, and a mixing drum arranged to receive material from the gravity chute.

5. A cement mixing apparatus comprising a material receiving hopper, a receiving elevator in communication therewith having an upper discharge head, a delivery elevator disposed upon approximately the same plane as the receiving elevator' and in parallel relation thereto, the last mentioned elevator being provided with an upper discharge head, an auxiliary hopper in communication with the base of the delivery elevator, an obliquely disposed gravity chute section in communication with the head of the receiving elevator and extending transversely toward the delivery elevator, a second side delivery gravity chute section in communication with the first mentioned chute section and the auxiliary hopper, obliquely disposed ritfle-plates arranged 1n staggered relation with each other within the chute section, and a mixing drum in communication with the discharge head of the delivery elevator.

6. A cement-mixing apparatus comprising a receiving elevator and a delivery elevator, a gravity chute connecting the uppery end of the receiving elevator and lower end of the delivery elevator, a series ot baie-plates arranged within the chute, and a mixer in' communication with the upper end of said delivery elevator.

l'n testimony that l claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee in the county of Milwaukee and State of lVisconsin in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANKLIN B. GIESLER.

llitnesses Gro. W. YOUNG, M. E. Downer.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

